‘Most’ of MNAs will return to the fold, predicts PM Imran

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan Saturday predicted that most of the dissidents of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) would return due to public pressure and anger of people against horse-trading because this is not democracy to sell yourself after winning the election on someone else’s ticket.

Addressing the ground-breaking ceremony of Rawalpindi Ring Road, the prime minister said the opposition’s no-confidence motion is a great thing that had happened to the country because it exposed the use of money in politics. While flaying the opposition over the alleged use of money in politics, the prime minister said that the stolen or public money of the Sindh government was used to buy the parliamentarians of his party. This, he said resulted in great anger in the public for selling their vote to someone else after winning the election on PTI tickets.

He said his prediction is that as the polling day on a vote of no confidence would draw nearer, the public pressure would compel most of them (estranged lawmakers of his party) to return to the party on whose tickets they won the election. He said that the power of social media has changed the world in the present time compared to Changa Manga time when there was no social media.

No-confidence move: PM speaks to several PTI MNAs

The prime minister alleged that the public money of the Sindh government was used to buy the lawmakers of his party, which was completely an illegal act, and stated that this has been happening openly. If some members of the PTI were not happy and wanted to leave the party, there was no need to provide police protection and bags of money to them, he said, adding that this has been happening in front of the nation and the people could see for themselves this kind of politics.

The premier said that this kind of politics has been the precise reason for the country to remain behind in development. Such people come into power through the use of money and then make money by stealing and stashing the wealth of the country abroad. Pakistan democracy was based on the Westminster model and in the UK no one can even think of committing this kind of act in politics because of public fear, the premier added.

He further stated that bags of money were brought to Sindh House and this was the stolen money of the Sindh government and the police too was brought from the province to protect the illegal activity. He said that peaceful protest is the right of the people but they should not engage in confrontation.

Earlier, he said that the Ring Road project would transform the entire area and save the green area. He added that Ring Road was delayed because of change in its alignment, saying that Ring Road projects would also be initiated in Faisalabad, Sialkot, and other cities because these are the need of the time to reduce the burden of traffic in the cities.

Additionally, he said that master plans of cities are necessary because cities are expanding, which would result in loss of agricultural land, that the country cannot afford due to the growing population.

Although there was a record production of four major crops and potatoes but the requirement of the population is increasing, which necessitates to ring-fenced the cities as was done by M-24 in London. He said that it is very necessary to save the land for agriculture

He said that Nullah Leh Project would also be launched in three weeks times with the objective to make the Rawalpindi city a modern city. He further stated that as the cities are expanding like Lahore, it makes it difficult for the government to meet the needs of amenities that is why ring roads would be constructed to prevent the cities from spreading further.

He said that there would be required a treatment plant and the set up besides an industrial zone along the Ring Road. The premier further stated that the population of Islamabad has doubled during the last 10 years and the government has been developing Ravi Urban and City Business District in Lahore and Walton Airport land has been converted into Business District. Utilisation of dead capital of Walton Airport would increase the income of Punjab government by Rs1,100 billion.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022